The Game of Silence by Louise Erdrich

Erdrich, Louise. 2005. The Game of Silence. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN 0060297891

(I hadn't read the first novel in this series, and so there is always that awkward first part of the book where the characters are presented as old friends, except I didn't have any emotional attachment to them yet. However, in terms of the story itself, it wasn't necessary to read the first one to understand the plot.)

This novel opens with the young girl Omakayas watching refugees from another tribe arriving to beg her tribe for assistance. They are bedraggled, hungry, and desperate for a place of safety. Omakayas learns important lessons about kindness from her tribe's reaction to these newcomers, but the tribe learns important information from the refugees, as well. The white settlers are pushing the Ojibwan peoples farther and farther west into land that is already occupied by other tribes who are resentful of newcomers. The tension that the Omakayas' family feels is beautifully symbolized by the game of silence that the children play so that the adults can discuss serious issues. Omakayas' everyday routines of collecting rice at the rice camp, tanning moose hides, and learning to bead are lovingly detailed, giving a true sense of historical accuracy to Omakayas' story.

Omakayas in many ways is a typical adolescent feeling jealousy and anger while also learning about kindness and her own destiny. But in other important ways, Omakayas is clearly a Native American with Native American ideas and ways of looking at the world. She has dreams that are symbolic and prophetic, she views the older people in her family with deep respect, and she wants the way of life that she has always known to continue unchanged. This book is both a beautiful coming of age story and a powerful historical novel.

AWARDS AND REVIEWS:

"Against the backdrop of Ojibwa cultural traditions, Omakayas also conveys the universal experiences of childhood--a love of the outdoors, a reluctance to do chores, devotion to a pet--as well as her ability to cope with the seemingly unbearable losses of the winter. The author hints at Omakayas's unusual background and her calling as a healer, as well as the imminent dangers of the "chimookoman" or white people, setting the stage for future episodes. Into her lyrical narrative, Erdrich weaves numerous Ojibwa words, effectively placing them in context to convey their meanings. Readers will want to follow this family for many seasons to come." --Publisher's Weekly

"The first book won enormous praise, including a National Book Award nomination, but this novel is even better. The themes are not only more profound, but the episodic structure of the previous novel is also much exceeded by the interweaving plot threads of young love, sibling rivalry, and frustration with gender roles. The threat that the federal government poses to the community is more than just a framing device; it penetrates all the other concerns of the novel, drawing them tightly together. This novel combines all the emotion and joy of The Birchbark House with an impressive deftness of structure." --VOYA

CONNECTIONS:

I think young readers might enjoy playing the game of silence that is so pivotal to this story, and then reflect on their experience through writing (poetry, maybe?).

The Birchbark House by the same author is the first in this series for those who want to read them in order.

This could be paired with another novel that scrupulously details the everyday details of this time period, but from the settlers' perspective like The Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder.